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The Japanese Sword: A Difference of
Perspective

By David Craik

I am writing this article at the request of Mr. Elmore in an
attempt to shed some light on the differing perspectives of the pragmatist
and the traditionalist in regard to the Japanese sword. By the term
“Japanese sword” I am referring not only to swords that are made in Japan by
traditional methods (nihonto) and Japanese military swords (gunto),
but those Japanese styled swords like the Hanwei, Swordstore, and Bugei
offerings that are commonly used by those martial artists who study a
traditional Japanese sword art (JSA).

At the outset, I would like to state that this article is
not intended to be of much value to JSA people, many of whom are far more
knowledgeable than I. Rather, it is a simple piece written for the layman. I have
intentionally used as few Japanese terms as possible; however, with subject
matter as intrinsically Japanese as the traditional JSA, foreign terminology is unavoidable to
some degree. I have italicized the Japanese terms the first time they are used
in the article and have included a short translation for those terms with
which I felt the average reader may be unfamiliar. I would also like to make
clear that my formal training in JSA is limited, so if you believe this automatically negates my points here, read no further.
Contact me regarding any statements made herein that you believe to be
incorrect and I shall be happy
to clarify or provide references or correct the article with my apologies as
the case may be. Please bear in mind that the following statements are
necessarily generalities, as the arts are so varied there may well be
exceptions to every rule.

I would first like to point out that while many hold a
traditional perspective regarding these swords, this does not by any means
necessarily pigeonhole them in the category of “traditionalists” when it comes
to practical self-defense. It is simply a fact that many do not see their swords as

primarily weapons to be used for killing other human beings in the 21^st
century. It is rather unusual for an experienced JSA person to speak, and
presumably think, of a Japanese sword as a self-defense tool like a pistol or
a boot knife.

The Koryu

To try to explain why this is so, it is necessary to give a little
background on traditional JSAs. Many of these fall under the category of koryu,
which is a Japanese term meaning “old flow” and is commonly used to refer to
those arts which were founded prior to the Meiji Restoration (1868). There are
other respected sword arts like Toyama Ryu, kendo, and Shinkendo, which while
not koryu were derived from and/or influenced by the older arts.

In some ways, JSA may be approached with a mindset
similar to that of those who study sado (tea ceremony), ikebana (flower
arranging), and shodo (Japanese calligraphy), as it the JSA are seen as a means
of self-improvement as well as a true art forms. In fact, there is a lot of
commonality among traditional Japanese arts.

Some koryu also have a very profound and, in some cases,
complex philosophy associated with them as well. The greater value inside
the swords glistening arc is often considered to be the kirihaku (the
cutting away of ones own impurities), not its worth as a method of splitting
modern day assailants.

These traditional arts are unusual when compared to other
styles of martial art they are quite arguably unique and they highlight what a
terribly nebulous and vague term “martial art” is. This uniqueness leads
sometimes to misunderstandings and charges of snobbishness, for reasons I will
attempt to explain as I understand them.

Preservation and Transmission of Tradition

Unlike many more modern self-defense arts, koryu tend to be
mainly concerned with the preservation and transmission of correct and
historical tradition in addition to the aforementioned self improvement. These
traditions, in many cases, go back hundreds of years and were founded and
perfected by warriors who actually used these skills in combat. Regrettably,
some of these arts are practiced today by only a handful of aging exponents
and are in danger of extinction. Some are in peril due to simple lack of
interest on the part of younger generations. Sometimes the headmaster or
headmistress will die without passing on the entire tradition, leaving it
difficult if not impossible to accurately reconstruct the art. Thus, the koryu have
been likened to a fragile plant or a “living antique.” Members of these
ryu (literally “flow” school or style) are justifiably proud and
sometimes fiercely protective of their traditions. They tend to be rather
derisive of those that pick up a sword and commence to hacking bushes with it.

Not for the Masses

In many cases, these ryu are taught on a very personal basis,
unlike the local strip-mall martial arts school that has large classes in
which
students tend to be taught en masse. Sometimes a sensei (literally, “one
who has gone before” teacher) will be very selective about to whom he will pass
on his tradition. This is speculation on my part, but when a senior JSA
person receives menkyo kaiden (a written license of complete
transmission), he may well feel responsible for a very valuable and
irreplaceable thing that has been entrusted to his care. Legitimate JSA
dojo are very difficult to find in the West. In many cases a person
must pretty much pack up his stuff and head to Japan to study. The JSA
exponent, therefore, may (and should, in my opinion) feel very fortunate to be part of
his system. He may have sacrificed quite a bit in order to be a link in the
chain that forms the lineage of his or her tradition. Indeed, some have
uprooted themselves and restructured their whole lives to follow the old ways.
Such a person is unlikely to be impressed by those who have a “paperback
sensei”, someone considers a couple hours drive too far to travel in order to
train, or those who regard the use of the sword as a simple or intuitive affair.
The latter is a point of contention because, in many cases, what “feels right” is 100% wrong.

It is also worthwhile to note here that many of the JSA,
unlike most other arts, were simply not designed for or made available to the
masses. These were the exclusive domain of the samurai, who were at the
top of the social hierarchy in feudal Japan. Thus it could be argued, I
suppose, that arts such as these are elitist by their very nature.

The Sword, the Symbol

Apart from being a feudal-era badge of social standing, the
sword is and was treated with the utmost respect by those involved in its
study. This is understandable even today because the Japanese arguably held
swords in higher regard than did those of any other culture during the period in which many
of these arts were founded. The sword, along with the comma-shaped beads and
the mirror, is one of the three great treasures of Japan. Swords were believed
to be imbued with the souls of their makers. Outstanding Japanese sword
smiths are designated “living national treasures” by the government. In the
dojo, the sword is bowed to and never stepped over. Knocking ones scabbard
against anothers (saya-ate), even accidentally, was considered such a
grave breach of etiquette that it could result in being cut down on the spot
without so much as a verbal challenge. There are specific rules for the
handling, wearing, and display of the sword. One could go on ad nauseum with
examples of the high regard in which the sword is and was held, but suffice it to
say that among JSA people, the idea of a Japanese sword being handled in a
cavalier, disrespectful, or untrained manner is repugnant. Like me, they
regard the sword as far more than a sharp piece of metal or a big-assed knife.

When witnessing the “techniques” or pontification of the
myriad uninformed and Last Samurai or Rurouni Kenshin wannabes, it is
understandable to me that the JSA exponent may well cast the same jaundiced
eye toward such people that the sniper or the professional soldier reserves for the
Michigan Militia and the typical “Soldier of Fortune” subscriber. When
examining a Japanese sword, the JSA practitioner sees points of design and construction
that
the untrained person will not not only in terms of aesthetics, but also with
regard to those
design elements like niku (literally, “meat”) and sori (curvature
of the blade) that have an effect on the blade’s cutting efficiency. When observing a JSA art that is not his own,
The JSA practitioner sees details, commonalities, and differences that are beyond the ken of and invisible to the layman.

Indeed, JSA comprise a complex area of study. One could easily
spend a lifetime studying the Japanese sword its history, forging techniques
of the various smiths, blade construction, the myriad differences in
design and appearance without ever getting around to actually learning how to
cut with one.

Antiquated Weaponry

I am often confused by those who profess to have “created”
their “own style” without a firm and extensive grounding in a traditional JSA.
One runs across these folk on Internet fora all the time. I simply dont
understand their motivation. They are obviously not carrying on a historical
tradition. The idea that they will develop the intangible qualities for which
martial arts are renowned is questionable at best, as these are qualities
that are by-products of meaningful interaction with others in the dojo.
That leaves good old pragmatic combat efficiency.

True, a sword will kill a man just as well today as it did
in 1600. One can also dispatch ones foes with a Kentucky rifle or a heavy
stone, but that doesnt mean that these are the best tools for the job in our day
and age. Unlike an unarmed fighting system, there is little means of testing the
combat effectiveness of the techniques one has invented for the sword, an
obstacle not shared by those who devised the real JSA. Thus, I consider
the sword more or less an obsolete weapon. You cannot strap one on and walk
the streets like Blade or the Highlander. There are far more efficient,
effective, and more legally defensible weapons and tactics for home defense.
Those “pragmatists” who obtain a sword for the sole purpose of ham-handedly
slicing and dicing assailants without either the background or desire to
appreciate the most basic principles for using or even holding it correctly
are seen as quite odd and possibly delusional.

These people would be nothing more than a curiosity if they didnt affect those
who are studying legitimate
martial traditions but they do. Not only are JSA practitioners and their
traditions lumped together with such yahoos in the public eye, but
increasingly the sword world has become flooded with people teaching bogus,
untested, historically inaccurate, and otherwise made-up sword arts that
defraud the public.

Why Study Such an Art?

Phil Elmore asked me to include how I feel the study of the
sword benefits ones martial training. This is a complex question, as people
study the JSA for different reasons none of which usually involve hacking up
burglars. I think the study of the sword instills physical and mental
discipline that will benefit a person not only in terms of defending against
attack, but in every aspect of their lives. In addition, I believe the study
of a traditional martial art in a dojo gives a person something far more
valuable than skills needed to fight. It trains people to interact with others
in a controlled and respectful manner. It further allows them to overcome the
fear of confrontation by facing it head on.

The JSA, it should be noted, were never self-defense arts,
possibly with a few exceptions. They were military arts and contain
techniques for attack as well as defense. There are even techniques for
cutting down an enemy from behind, or killing one who is bowing to you. Far from
being artsy throwbacks, the koryu are real combat systems, as pragmatic in
their time as you could get. They were the very root from which the modern day
budo (Japanese martial ways) sprang. Lt. Colonel George Bristol, career
combat Marine and Shinkage Ryu exponent, answers this question far more
eloquently than I, however, so I would direct the reader to the excellent
Koryu.com website for
his article.

Conclusion

Unlike a weapon of modern design, the Japanese sword was
seen as the soul of the warrior in the country where these arts originated. The JSA
person sees it differently than a person who views it as
simply just another blade. It is this insight that, in part, helps him form a tangible and
meaningful connection to the past and to values that he considers noble and
worthwhile. Indeed, it is the blade that he uses to conquer the most shadowy
enemy of all himself.

In the end, I believe it is the man who
uses the simplest, most effective, and legally defensible means available in
the defense of his life and the lives of his loved ones who is, by definition,
the true pragmatist.

For an alternative perspective on pragmatism and the sword, refer to
Issue Seven‘s subscriber content.

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